Accenture has just bought one of London’s hottest ad agencies
Accenture's getting into trendy ads, it seems – after it bought Karmarama, one of London's hottest ad agencies.
The company, known as much for its achingly trendy office as it is for its campaigns for the likes of the BBC, Confused.com, Honda, Just Eat and Unilever, has a team of 250 employees.
The consultancy said the acquisition will strengthen its Accenture Interactive and Accenture Digital arms.
Read more: Could you answer the UK's 10 toughest interview questions?
Jon Wilkins will stay on as executive chairman at the agency, while Ben Bilboul will stay in his role as chief executive, Sid McGrath will stay on as chief strategy officer and Nik Studzinski will remain as chief creative officer – but they'll all take on extra leadership roles at Accenture Interactive.
Accenture has increasingly shifted its focus towards tech in recent months. In September it invested in blockchain startup Ripple, alongside Standard Chartered.
“Acquiring a creative agency in London, where some of the world’s most iconic creative work is produced, will help us reshape how brands imagine, create, and deliver customer experiences,” said Brian Whipple, head of Accenture Interactive.
“Karmarama will become part of the world’s largest digital agency, expanding our global capabilities across experience, marketing, content and commerce with excellence in creative and mobile. This will contribute to further differentiate Accenture Interactive as a new breed of agency – experience architects – which helps brands connect disconnected experiences and shares accountability with clients for their business outcomes.”
Founded in 2000, Karmarama's best-known alumnus is Facebook's Europe chief Nicola Mendelsohn, who left as chief executive of the agency in 2013.